2023: US to impose visa sanctions on anyone who sabotages Nigeria's democratic process
The United States government has issued a new visa sanction to Nigerians who will be seen as sabotaging the democratic process in the 2023 general elections in Nigeria.
The Political Counselor of the United States Embassy in Nigeria, Rolf Olson, said this at the 2022 Annual Seminar of the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Alumni Association on Promoting Election Integrity in Nigeria. Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges" in Abuja.
Olson, who gave his opening address, virtually described the threat as one of the important messages from the United States government regarding the upcoming election.
He said the US government counted on all Nigerians to reject the use of violence and inflammatory rhetoric before, during and after election day.
"When we say 'all' Nigerians we mean all: politicians, candidates, students, leaders of religious, traditional, community, youth and business organizations and entities - everyone has a role to play in this effort.
"Even a small number of spoilers can wreak substantial havoc on an election. It takes a comprehensive effort to try to eliminate the use of violence and inflammatory rhetoric.
"Persons seeking to undermine the democratic process, including through violence, may be denied visas to the United States.
"We have imposed visa restrictions in the past against those responsible or complicit in undermining the democratic process, and remain fully prepared to do so again in the context of the upcoming elections."
He said it was essential that candidates and their parties – and any supporters seeking to help them win elections – refrain from brazen claims of victory that suggest defeat is only possible. if there is fraud.
"There is no real democratic election whose outcome is predicted.
"Before becoming a diplomat, I worked in American politics in Washington, and I witnessed many elections in which a particular candidate seemed certain to win, based on a combination of various factors.< /p>
READ ALSO IN NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Stop the war for the World Cup, the FIFA president begs Russia and Ukraine"Factors such as a very favorable partisan identification of voters in the district, city, or state; polling data that appeared to show a very large, insurmountable lead over the opponent; or perhaps the fact that the candidate was the incumbent, who had been elected to that same position, perhaps several times.
"But sometimes the unexpected happens. That's democracy. And candidates and parties seeking to run for public office must accept one basic truth: Losing is always possible.
>"If you are not prepared to accept the possibility of being defeated, you should not run for office in the first place."
Olson called on all parties, candidates and their supporters to avoid language that attempts to "guarantee" victory.
"It's entirely reasonable to be confident in your chances or those of your candidate - it's up to you whether you want to spend valuable time on the campaign being confident rather than focusing on the hard work needed to actually win.
“But no democracy, including that of Nigeria, is well served if millions of its citizens believe that only one legitimate outcome is possible on Election Day.
"Avoid this kind of rhetoric, and the Nigerian electoral process will be better for it."
He also re-emphasized that the US government does not support any individual candidate or party in the 2023 general election or any other election.
“It never ceases to amaze me how often we see comments, claims and assertions from people on social and traditional media about what our supposed goals are in elections, which candidate or party we favor, how to interpret certain statements or our actions in terms of what our intentions mean are perceptions.
"Actually, I think it's pretty easy to interpret us, especially when it comes to elections. We always try to be clear in our messages, so let me be clear here on several points important:
"The United States does not support any individual candidate or party in this election cycle (or for that matter, in any future election).
“Our interest is in supporting credible and transparent elections that reflect the will of Nigerian voters, in a peacefully conducted process. Full stop,” Olson said.
The United States government has issued a new visa sanction to Nigerians who will be seen as sabotaging the democratic process in the 2023 general elections in Nigeria.
The Political Counselor of the United States Embassy in Nigeria, Rolf Olson, said this at the 2022 Annual Seminar of the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Alumni Association on Promoting Election Integrity in Nigeria. Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges" in Abuja.
Olson, who gave his opening address, virtually described the threat as one of the important messages from the United States government regarding the upcoming election.
He said the US government counted on all Nigerians to reject the use of violence and inflammatory rhetoric before, during and after election day.
"When we say 'all' Nigerians we mean all: politicians, candidates, students, leaders of religious, traditional, community, youth and business organizations and entities - everyone has a role to play in this effort.
"Even a small number of spoilers can wreak substantial havoc on an election. It takes a comprehensive effort to try to eliminate the use of violence and inflammatory rhetoric.
"Persons seeking to undermine the democratic process, including through violence, may be denied visas to the United States.
"We have imposed visa restrictions in the past against those responsible or complicit in undermining the democratic process, and remain fully prepared to do so again in the context of the upcoming elections."
He said it was essential that candidates and their parties – and any supporters seeking to help them win elections – refrain from brazen claims of victory that suggest defeat is only possible. if there is fraud.
"There is no real democratic election whose outcome is predicted.
"Before becoming a diplomat, I worked in American politics in Washington, and I witnessed many elections in which a particular candidate seemed certain to win, based on a combination of various factors.< /p>
READ ALSO IN NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Stop the war for the World Cup, the FIFA president begs Russia and Ukraine"Factors such as a very favorable partisan identification of voters in the district, city, or state; polling data that appeared to show a very large, insurmountable lead over the opponent; or perhaps the fact that the candidate was the incumbent, who had been elected to that same position, perhaps several times.
"But sometimes the unexpected happens. That's democracy. And candidates and parties seeking to run for public office must accept one basic truth: Losing is always possible.
>"If you are not prepared to accept the possibility of being defeated, you should not run for office in the first place."
Olson called on all parties, candidates and their supporters to avoid language that attempts to "guarantee" victory.
"It's entirely reasonable to be confident in your chances or those of your candidate - it's up to you whether you want to spend valuable time on the campaign being confident rather than focusing on the hard work needed to actually win.
“But no democracy, including that of Nigeria, is well served if millions of its citizens believe that only one legitimate outcome is possible on Election Day.
"Avoid this kind of rhetoric, and the Nigerian electoral process will be better for it."
He also re-emphasized that the US government does not support any individual candidate or party in the 2023 general election or any other election.
“It never ceases to amaze me how often we see comments, claims and assertions from people on social and traditional media about what our supposed goals are in elections, which candidate or party we favor, how to interpret certain statements or our actions in terms of what our intentions mean are perceptions.
"Actually, I think it's pretty easy to interpret us, especially when it comes to elections. We always try to be clear in our messages, so let me be clear here on several points important:
"The United States does not support any individual candidate or party in this election cycle (or for that matter, in any future election).
“Our interest is in supporting credible and transparent elections that reflect the will of Nigerian voters, in a peacefully conducted process. Full stop,” Olson said.
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